“Amateur Collections: From the Personal to Scientific Heritage” will be the theme of the next Bar des sciences 2026

[Press Release] - Published on May 27, 2026 in the Press Room

On Thursday, June 11, starting at 7 p.m., the University of Montpellier will host the final Science Bar event of the season. For this event, Benoît Gibert, Professor in the physics of minerals and rocks at the Géosciences Montpellier laboratory; Sofia Lautrec, an artist and poet whose work explores the concepts of the transformation of matter, erosion, and the materiality of language; and Audrey Théron, museum collections curator in the Historical Heritage Department of the University of Montpellier’s Division of Scientific Culture and Historical Heritage, will be on hand to bring together artistic, heritage, and scientific perspectives and demonstrate how personal collections can become resources that are at once sensory, cultural, and scientific.

The Bar des sciences has become one of Montpellier’s flagship events for scientific culture, offering a participatory, community-driven discussion on all aspects of science once a month from January through June. Throughout the season, scientists are invited to engage in a dialogue where their knowledge and practices are not only shared but also open to discussion. The season is co-produced by theUM ’s scientific culture departmentsUM its partners—INRAE, INSERM, IRD, and the Faculty of Sciences—with support from Radio Aviva.

A Science Bar Dedicated to the Collections

"What if the treasures hidden in our libraries, attics, or personal display cases became valuable resources for science and art?"

In June, the Science Bar event titled“Amateur Collections: From the Personal to Scientific Heritage” offers an original and thoughtful exploration of amateur collections: rare objects, family archives, minerals, herbariums, photographs, notebooks… Behind these often intimate collections lie unique data, traces of cultural heritage, or valuable resources for scientific research—or even a source of inspiration for artistic creation. This evening offers an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of these collections and the research associated with them, to learn about outreach initiatives aimed at the general public, and to engage directly with experts on the subject over a drink in a friendly setting.

The speakers at this event will shed light on the significance of these private collections from artistic, scientific, and cultural heritage perspectives. What do they contribute to research? How can amateur collections enrich academic knowledge? How can they serve as the foundation for artistic creation or become part of cultural heritage? And under what conditions do they become scientific heritage? An event for all those who collect, observe, preserve, and contribute—sometimes without even realizing it—to the creation of knowledge.

To discuss this topic—science and society—three experts from various disciplines will answer questions from the audience:

• Benoît Gibert is Professor in the physics of minerals and rocks at the Géosciences Montpellier laboratory (a joint research unit of the CNRS and the University of Montpellier). His research focuses on how the properties of minerals and rocks evolve under conditions found in the Earth’s crust, particularly in high-temperature geothermal systems.  He teaches mineralogy at the Faculty of Sciences, making the University’s heritage collections available to students;
• Sofia Lautrec is an artist and poet whose work explores the concepts of the transformation of matter, erosion, and the materiality of language. Currently in residence at the University of Montpellier with the Art & Culture department, she is leading a project centered on her grandfather’s mineral collection, in collaboration with the Géosciences Montpellier laboratory. Through this process, which blends an artistic approach with a scientific perspective, she examines the collection as a space for creation, transmission, and storytelling. She will also share her personal experience as a collector, discussing the emotional and nostalgic dimensions associated with this activity;
• Audrey Théron is the museum collections manager in the Historical Heritage Department of the Directorate of Scientific Culture and Historical Heritage at the University of Montpellier (DCSPH – UM). She will provide insights into the challenges of preserving, promoting, and sharing historical collections at the University of Montpellier.

Once again this year, the Bar des sciences is supported by the University of Montpellier’s ministerial “Science with and for Society” (SAPS) certification. As part of this certification, we remain committed to making scientific culture increasingly accessible. Special attention will be given to the inclusion of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals at every Bar des sciences event. In fact, this event will feature sign language interpretation provided by Des’L Interprétation. Join us at 7 p.m. at the Émile Zola Media Library for an evening organized in partnership with the Montpellier 3M Media Library Network and the University of Montpellier’s scientific culture services.

Can't join us? Watch highlights of the discussions on our YouTube channel Écran de savoirs, in a format produced by the Cosciences association.